Creating a level playing field: EU competition and social policies

Chapter 3 examined the moves towards the creation of a single market and how and why a single currency is needed to permit this market to function most effectively. This chapter examines EU competition policy and EU social policy and explores why these have had to be promoted alongside the development of the single market. If businesses are to take advantage of access to other EU markets previously denied them, and hence achieve the benefits of economies of scale especially lower production costs, they must be able to compete freely. EU competition policy seeks to ensure that, as far as possible, restrictions to competition are not employed by firms.